Young Justice: Shadowed Past
by L-Space
Summary: Just when he finally thinks he's getting a break from the baddies, Dick Grayson finds himself in a whole new world of evil... The evil that is known as women. Someone from his past returns to Gotham, but along with her comes more trouble. ***Just underwent plastic surgery! Read and Review?***
1. Flashback

**A/N: Yay! Finally, my rewrite! Please enjoy, I think it is much better this time around!  
I own NOTHING!  
**

* * *

**Chapter One: Flashback**

**2007 October 3  
Wayne Manor**

Dick Grayson dropped his backpack to the floor as he slammed the door shut. He hummed gleefully to himself, making his way to the kitchen for an after-school snack. Rummaging through the refrigerator, he pulled out sandwich makings and placed them on the counter, jumping slightly at the sudden appearance of his mentor.

"I'm disappointed, Dick." Bruce Wayne said sullenly. "I thought I trained you to be aware of your surroundings." The young boy opened his mouth to protest, however Bruce cut him off. "We have a visitor, someone very important to me." Dick's interests were piqued; that was often the way Bruce would introduce him at dinner parties. Bruce turned slightly and waved the visitor into the room; a young girl of Egyptian decent, appearing to be Dick's age, entered the kitchen. She had oddly silver colored hair, her eyes were grayed and without pupils. The girl tugged on the sleeve of her deep purple hooded tunic and rested her duffle bag on the floor next to her dirt encrusted boots. Dick wondered why they were covered in mud, as it had not rained in Gotham for days.

Suddenly, Dick became aware of the icy glare Bruce was shooting him, silently urging him to find his manners. "Hi, I'm Dick Grayson." He held his hand out to her.

"Layla Baz-Wayne." She smiled and shook his hand. "I've heard so much about you."

It seemed to only take a New York minute for Gotham City to fall in love with the newest addition to the Wayne family. Bruce had taken her to Wayne Enterprises where they were stopped by paparazzi, as was normal for Bruce. Since that day, Layla had been invited to make public appearances with her godfather on several occasions and had become "Gotham's Little Princess."

* * *

**2008 December 1  
Wayne Manor**

Although being woken up to his alarm at the crack of dawn, Dick couldn't help but be in a good mood. A large grin plastered his face as he showered, dressed and headed downstairs for his birthday breakfast. Something, however, didn't seem right as he jumped the last three stairs; the air smelled like smoke. Immediately, Dick ran into the kitchen and grabbed the fire extinguisher from underneath the telephone, pulling the pin as he rounded the corner. He didn't take much time to aim, just swung the hose back and forth to make sure he got all the flames. Only after a surprised shriek and a kitchen now covered with fire retardant foam did he realize that the house was never in any danger.

Layla faced him, her face was covered in powder and he could see batter stuck in her hair. Behind her on the stove lay a skillet topped with browned pancakes and burnt bacon, an attempt at making his birthday meal. "Real nice, Dick." Layla snipped.

Dick dropped the extinguisher and reached for a nearby roll of paper towels. "Layla, I am so sorry! I thought the house was on fire so I reacted." He ripped off a couple of sheets from the towels and moved to get some of the foam out of her hair as she went to push it back into a ponytail, his hand brushing hers. His heart skipped a beat at her touch. She looked up at him with the eyes he had grown to love over the past year, dark as if hiding a secret from the world.

"Uh, I know I'm your best friend and all, but the way you're acting is a little too weird right now… even for me." Dick shook his head and took a step back. It had been getting increasingly hard for him to ignore how he felt the past few months, but he had to shake them away. Layla _was_ his best friend, after all. He couldn't fall for her; he wouldn't allow himself. "Hey, earth to Robin? Just because they call you 'Bird Boy' doesn't mean you can act like a bird brain." Layla beamed at him, leaving him breathless again for another moment.

"Must be from the fumes of your cooking." Dick joked, waving his hand in front of is face. "Why are you cooking anyway? Where's Alfred?"

Layla turned off the stove and shrugged. "Probably down in the Batcave with Uncle Bruce." As if knowing he was being spoken of, Bruce and his butler Alfred Pennyworth entered the kitchen. "Morning, Pops!" both children said in a sing-song voice, a habit they formed early in their friendship.

"We've run into a situation," Bruce started as Alfred disposed of the scraps, "I have to go to the Hall for a League meeting."

"Okay, so me and Dick stay with Alfred. What's the problem?" Layla asked as she helped herself to a bowl of cereal.

"Today is the start of my vacation, Miss Layla." The butler replied.

"I think Layla and I are old enough to babysit ourselves, Bruce." Dick stated. He grabbed the carton of milk out of the fridge and held it above Layla's reach.

"Yeah, I don't think so. Both of you are coming with me." The kids grinned at each other. "Don't get any funny ideas. Aquaman, Flash and Green Arrow are bringing their sidekicks along to keep an eye on you."

* * *

**2009 February 14  
Batcave**

"Your tea, Master Wayne." Alfred announced, stepping out of the elevator. He joined Bruce at one of the consoles. "I also have a message for you from young Miss Layla." He handed over a small piece of paper. Bruce unfolded it and read Layla's neat handwriting:

_Uncle Bruce,_

_Me and Dick went out to a movie._

_Don't wait up!_

_Happy Valentine's Day!_

"Valentine's Day." He muttered as he dropped the note on the tea tray and sipped from his cup. "How could I forget?" Ever since Layla had come to live with them, Bruce had watched the children become close and fast friends.

"Young Master Dick has grown quite fond of Miss Layla, wouldn't you say, sir?" Alfred said, placing the tray on a nearby end table. He liked to think that the two would eventually marry. "And she appears to be quite taken with him. Ah, to be young and in love."

Bruce rubbed his temples and leaned back in his chair. "I didn't think this would happen. Dick needs to understand that he can't get too close to her… It's for is own good."

"Master Wayne, might I suggest not doing anything at the moment? After all, you're not even sure if he knows about her. I believe it is safer than you think." Bruce sighed, unsure if his butler made a good argument, but eventually agreed.

* * *

**2009 April 7  
Gotham City**

Dick walked silently for what seemed like an eternity down the streets of Gotham city. He walked next to Bruce, who was wearing a somber expression as if something were troubling him. Dick knew to leave him alone when he looked like that, so he tried to find some way of making the walk a little more enjoyable. He dug in his pocket and pulled out a few marbles. Squeezing them between his thumb and index finger, he shot them one by one at street signs as they passed.

Bruce cleared his throat, finally finding the words he wanted to say moments later. "Dick, I needed to talk to you about your relationship with Layla."

"Yeah, she's pretty cool." Dick stated, lining up his next shot.

"I understand that over the past year, you two have been getting pretty close." Dick paused and looked up at his partner. He furrowed his brow, as he often did when he had serious news. Dick felt his stomach tighten; he knew Bruce was going to say something bad. He was going to try to take his best friend away from him. "She's been sent to a boarding school as per her parents' request before they passed."

Dick stopped walking. "You mean, she's already gone? You just sent her packing without giving us the chance to say goodbye?" Rage burned inside him; he was finally building up the courage to ask Layla out and now he would never get the chance.

"Dick, it's too dangerous for you to be so close to Layla. I had to do this for your safety." He turned and faced the young man.

"Was it really for my safety or was it because you didn't want me dating your god-daughter?" he growled and ran back the way they came. Bruce knew better than to chase after him, continuing down the street towards the mansion.

* * *

**2016 July 4  
Watchtower**

The Justice League watched in silence as G. Gordon Godfrey happily announced the resignation of Secretary General Tseng. Superman turned the news off in disgust as his nemesis, Lex Luthor, was welcomed onstage by a cheering audience. Nightwing and Aqualad entered the control room as Captain Atom gave the League Chairmanship back to Black Canary. They stood behind the League, where Nightwing announced that he was leaving the team. "You're retiring?" Aqualad asked.

"What happened to Wally got me thinking…" Nightwing sighed and pushed his bangs back. "Anything can happen out there. Life is short." He placed a hand on Aqualad's shoulder. "I'm not retiring, just… taking a leave of absence. If you need anything, Barbara is more than capable of stepping up."

Kaldur'ahm smiled at his friend. "It has been an honor serving with you. You will always have a place on this team."


	2. Beginnings

**Chapter Two: Beginnings**

**2016 August 13, 08:15 EDT**

Dick woke suddenly as his cell phone buzzed to the floor from the edge of the night stand. He picked up the still ringing phone and checked the caller id; Bruce was calling him. _"Go figure. It took him a few months to get around to calling me."_ He scoffed before hitting the ignore button and placing the phone back on the table. He then sunk back into his goose feather pillow and threw an arm over his eyes, blocking the sunlight streaming in through his slightly open blinds. As he was drifting back to sleep, a knock sounded from the door.

"Who the hell…" Dick groaned as he pulled himself out of bed. He reached for his shirt hanging off the edge of his couch and pulled it on as he answered the persistent knocking. "What?" He said, slightly annoyed until he realized that it was Alfred who had been knocking.

"So sorry to disturb you during your… vacation, sir," The butler said, "Master Bruce has instructed me to bring you this right away." He handed over some dry cleaning and an envelope.

Dick stared at the items, puzzled. "How is it that you got here right after he called me?"

"I believe Master Bruce knew that you would not answer his call," Alfred answered. He then bowed curtly and walked away without another word.

Still confused, Dick opened the envelope. It contained an invitation to a gala at Wayne Manor, which meant that the dry cleaning was a suit. _"A gala in August?"_ He knew Bruce like to have a lot of social gatherings, but would never have a gala without it being some sort of important event. And he didn't recall hearing anything on the news."Well, now I'm curious." He muttered to himself as he hung the suit up in his closet.

He flipped the television as he made his way to the kitchen; G. Gordon Godfrey's morning talk show droned on in the background as he mixed up some pancake batter. He heard his phone ring once more as he poured a few puddles of batter into a frying pan. "Hello?" Dick answered without looking at the id.

"Hey, Dick. It's Barbara."

"Oh, hey, Babs. What's up?"

"Well, I was just checking up on you." His former teammate said on the other end. "It's been a while since you left, and I haven't heard from you. How have you been?"

"Good," Dick replied. He sighed, flipping a cake over. "Look Babs, this is kinda what I meant by needing a break. I need some time away from the Team… including you." Dick half listened to Barbara updating him on what's been going on with the team, despite his objections, and paid a little more attention to the morning news as Godfrey announced the party. "Glad everything's going okay with the team. Hey, has Bruce told you anything about this party that he's having tonight? What's it all about?"

"Actually, that's partially why I'm calling…" Barbara replied. "I don't really know the reason for the party, but if you're going, maybe we can go together?" Dick couldn't speak, only stare at the television as a photograph popped up in the corner of the talk show of a beautiful young woman with silver hair and grey eyes that he remembered from his past. "Dick? Are you still there?"

"I'm gonna have to call you back, Babs." Dick said hastily and hung up. He stared at the screen in disbelief, turning the volume up. "That can't be…"

"…the celebrations of Gotham's Little Princess will begin this evening at 7:00. You are not going to want to miss this, folks. Anybody who's anybody will be in attendance; I, for one, will be there to cover the event live." Godfrey went on to talk about the latest conspiracy theory of his as Dick reached for his helmet and bolted out the door.

* * *

**August 13  
Wayne Manor**

Dick stormed angrily through the door of the manor. Knowing he would find Bruce in the study, he marched past Alfred and slammed the study door behind him. "When exactly were you going to tell me that she was back?" He demanded.

Bruce met his gaze, remaining calm although he had just technically had his house broken into. "And who would that be?" He asked with a smug grin.

"You know who!" Dick raised his voice slightly. "After all these years, after what you did, you weren't even going to tell me she was back?"

"Oh, you're referring to Layla." Bruce replied. He gently closed the book he was reading and leaned back into his leather office chair. "I didn't tell you she was back because she isn't. I'm picking her up from the airport shortly. Also, you didn't answer my phone call this morning."

"Oh, like that makes it better," Dick huffed and tossed his weight into one of the chairs opposite of Bruce. "You must have known about this for days, yet you wait until last minute. Why?"

Bruce folded his hands under his chin and leaned his elbows on each arm rest. "I wanted it to be a surprise. Now, let's get to the airport."

* * *

**August 13  
Gotham City Airport**

Dick paced the length of the row of chairs in the terminal as they waited for Layla's flight to land. Bruce couldn't help but be amused as he watched Dick ruffle his own feathers. Never had he seen him so worked up over a girl, and Dick had made himself quite the lady's man over the years. "Dick, I've been meaning to tell you something for a while now. I think this is as good a time as any." The young man stopped his pacing and faced the billionaire. He had always looked up to Bruce; a calm, cool and collected business man by day, fearsome vigilante by night, yet somehow in the mix of it all, managed to keep up his reputation as a playboy. "I know what I did was wrong, and I'm sorry. I never should have come between you two and it will never happen again."

Dick was taken aback by the sudden apology, causing the gears in his head to start reeling. How could he reply to that? Years have passed since his last meeting with Layla and they both have grown up and changed. Then there was the fact that he had only learned a few short hours ago of her return. He simply couldn't know if he still had feelings for her at that moment. Luckily, the conversation was cut short as an, "Uncle Bruce!" carried over the noise of the terminal. Both men turned just in time as a young woman rushed Bruce and hugged him tightly around the neck. "I missed you so much! How have you been? How's Alfred? Oh my god, I have so much to ask you! I have a lot to tell you!" Layla babbled and bounced excitedly with her adoptive father.

Bruce put his hands on her shoulders to keep her from jumping. "I missed you, too, Layla. I brought someone with me I thought you would want to see." He gestured to Dick standing behind her.

"Hey, Layla." He said as he wiped the dejected look off his face. "You probably don't remember me." He held his hand. "Dick Grayson."

"Dick? Wow, you've grown up so much. I hardly recognized you!" She shoved his hand to the side and hugged him as well. "How have you been?"

"Good…" he replied. A familiar feeling of warmth washed over him as she embraced him; his family was finally together again. "Hey, once you get settled in, maybe we can catch up? I'd love to hear what you've been up to all these years."

"Yeah, sure, but first, I'm _dying_ for some real food! I'll tell you what, those airline meals suck."

* * *

**August 13  
Wayne Manor**

The Wayne's and Dick sat at the unnecessarily long dining table as Layla rambled on about her studies abroad and the year she spent excavating in Egypt. As she spoke, Alfred set a large plate piled with carne asada French fries in front of her. Layla placed her hands on top of each other over her chest, touched that Alfred had remembered her version of comfort food. "Oh, I almost forgot." Bruce took the moment of silence while she ate to get a word in, "There's going to be a party tonight to celebrate your return and you have nothing to wear." He slid a metallic purple clutch over the table to her. "Dick will take you to get a dress." Bruce smiled as Layla's eyes widened at the contents of the wallet.

"Uncle Bruce, this is… this is way more than a dress would cost." She replied.

"Consider the rest as an advance." He said slyly. "Now hurry up and eat. You've got some shopping to do."

* * *

**August 13  
Gotham Square Shopping Centre**

"You know, you still haven't told me what you've been up to." Layla said as she and Dick strolled through yet another girly store that he had no desire to learn the name of. This was the third store they had been to and Layla declared war on every clothing rack as she searched for "the perfect dress." She held a black halter dress up to herself and beamed at him. "I'm sure the Boy Wonder has some stories to tell."

Dick stood speechless for a moment as a feeling he could only describe as warm and fuzzy washed over him; her smile took his breath away every time. "Me? Oh, you know… same old, same old." He chuckled nervously.

"Odd." Layla said, eyeing him suspiciously. "I didn't think you were still working with Batman. It kinda seemed… icy between you two. Well, more than usual, anyway."

"Yeah, about that," he ran his fingers through his hair, watching as she stopped suddenly to admire a simple yet elegant opal necklace with matching chandelier earrings. To him it was just like being a kid again, Layla always was easily distracted. He leaned on the jewelry counter and spoke softly as he told her about the Team and his current break from crime fighting.

"Wow, sounds like I missed one heck of a ride." Layla said once he was finished. She had left the jewelry and moved back to dresses. "Hey, any of the old gang coming to the soiree tonight? I would love to catch up with Kaldur, Wally and Roy."

Dick's smile faded into a somber expression, knowing that this question was coming. At his sudden silence, Layla stared at him quizzically. Dick fought back the tears as he replied, "Wally sacrificed himself to save the world from the Reach invasion."

Layla's eyes dropped, "And that's why you left," she said quietly as she placed a purple cocktail dress back onto its hanger. She took his hands into hers and whispered, "Dick, I am so sorry."

"It's okay, really." Dick pulled away and ran his fingers through his hair to shove his vulnerability to the side. "Besides, Wally wouldn't want us to be depressed. He would want us to live our lives to the fullest."

Layla grinned. "Let's get pressed then." She said, giving his old word game a shot.

"You never were any good at that." Dick laughed.

Layla shrugged and continued perusing. "No, but shopping on the other hand…" she trailed off as she held up a strapless ruby red dress to her small, athletic frame. "What do you think?"

After finally finding her dress, shoes and accessories, Dick and Layla sat in the mall's food court reminiscing their childhood over Chinese fast food. "Do you remember the first time we met the guys?" Dick asked as he took a bite of his kung pao chicken.

Layla almost lost her drink as she stifled a laugh. "How could I forget? Don't you remember the first think Wally ever said to me?" She rested her weight on one elbow like their old friend used to do while he hit on girls. "'I was expecting a fire, so I ran here as fast as I could. Now I see it was just you. Being hot.'" She clicked her tongue and winked for emphasis.

"I'm pretty sure that was verbatim. So not one of his better lines," Dick joked. It felt good to let go of everything and just be himself, to be with her. "Okay, confession time. I used to think that you and Wally would end up together."

Layla pondered for a moment before replying, "Yeah, I could see why you thought that. He must have asked me a million times."

"So why did you turn him down? I could have sworn you had a thing for him."

"I had my reasons," Layla answered with an impish smile on her face. She glanced down at her cell phone and let out a small, surprised shriek. "The party! I'm going to be late for my own party!"


	3. Celebrate

**A/N: Hope you guys are liking the rewrite! I still own nothing...**

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**Chapter Three: Celebrations**

**2016 August 13, 19:45 EDT  
Wayne Manor**

It seemed that the whole of Gotham had come to the celebration that evening. News reporters were scattered throughout the crowd, capturing video of the party and interviewing high profile attendees. Dick stood off to the side of the buffet table, habitually surveying the room for any sign of danger. He spotted Layla near the center of the ballroom speaking with some models Bruce had invited. She looked stunning in her ruby dress and matching heels, her silver hair glowed in the soft light of the chandelier.

"_**You seem very protective over her."**_ The familiar voice of M'gann M'orzz echoed telepathically in his head. She and a few other members of the League had come to provide covert security. From across the grand hall, she made eye contact with him as if they were next to each other holding the conversation. _**"She's all you've been thinking about all night. Who is she?"**_

Rather than answering, he allowed her to explore his childhood memories. When she finished, he gazed back at Layla and added, _**"She's my first love."**_ He made his way over to her as Oliver Queen tapped her on the shoulder.

"You probably don't remember me," Oliver started.

"Don't be silly, Ollie," Layla interrupted, "Of course I do. I was actually hoping that you and Roy would be here tonight."

Oliver rubbed the back of his neck as he inhaled. "So, Dick didn't tell you then? The Roy we all knew was a clone, who now has his own life and family. The original Roy was in suspended animation for eight years. He had an… incident with the League and went off on his own."

One of the many servers stopped by them with a tray full of champagne, lowering it a bit as an offering. Dick eyed the server a moment, there was just something about the way he smiled that set him on edge, then took two glasses and handed one to Layla. He caught Bruce in his peripheral making his way to a podium set between the buffet and drink tables. Bruce raised a champagne glass and gently tapped on it with a knife, it never ceased to amaze Dick that the crowds always quieted down. "Thank you all for joining us tonight." Bruce said into a microphone, a small round of applause sounded. "As you all know, this party is to celebrate the return of my god daughter, Layla Baz-Wayne, though I suppose most of you know her as 'Gotham's Little Princess.' However, I have another reason for throwing this get together." He paused to clear his throat. "As of this moment, I am naming Layla my partner- and eventual successor- to Wayne Enterprises."

The crowd erupted in applause as Bruce finished his speech and motioned for Layla to join him at the front of the room. She walked through the aisle the people around her formed, a nervous and surprised smile plastered on her face. Her eyes darted back and forth looking for Dick, not realizing that he had not follwed. She was almost with her godfather when the lights went out, save for an eerie green glow above the chandelier. The party goers shrieked collectively, Layla could feel a violent shuffle of people around her as everyone tried to see what had caused the blackout. Their question was answered with a hysterical cackle echoing off the walls. "Joker!" A woman screamed nearby.

"But of course it's me!" Joker's disembodied voice called. "After all, what's a party without a clown?" He continued to laugh as the lights flickered back to life. When the light was restored, Joker stood directly behind Layla. "Sorry, Brucey, hate to be a party pooper, but I think I'll just take my party favor and go."

"Dick!" Layla shouted as Joker wrapped his arms around her and tossed a smoke bomb into the middle of the room. By the time the smoke cleared, they were gone, leaving a small squad of goons behind. Dick and Oliver quickly jumped behind one the large statues decorating the hall and stripped of their tuxedoes, becoming Nightwing and Green Arrow.

Flinging his weight across the gap to the next statue, Green Arrow shot four of his bolts which became a net that caught a couple of the Joker's men. Nightwing followed his lead by throwing two birdarangs attached by rope around another mnion. "There's too many civilians!" Green Arrow shouted above the commotion, people running and screaming every which way to get to safety as the goons fired their pistols at random. Nightwing nodded in agreement as he made a dash and saved two people about to get whacked with a lead pipe.

As if from out of the walls, Batgirl and Robin swung in to help clear people out. "Joker excaped by helicopter." Batgirl said through her communicator as she ushered a group of people out of the mansion.

"Damn it!" Nightwing growled, punching one of the clowns. He could feel the man's nose break underneath his smiling mask. "Our first priority is to clear out the mansion, and then we go after Joker." He barked into his earpiece.

It took a few hours, but finally Wayne manor was free of visitors. Batgirl and Robin disappeared as quickly as they showed up as Green Arrow, Miss Martian and Nightwing all follwed Bruce to the study, where he sat at his desk as Dick paced the room. "You keep that up and there'll be no floor." Bruce muttered from behind his book.

Dick shot him a menacing glare. "Your daughter was just kidnapped by your nemesis and you're sitting here being a sarcastic asshole? We should be out there trying to find her!"

"What do you think Batgirl and Robin are doing?" Bruce sighed as he placed the book down. "Once they find where Joker took her, you can meet them and save her."

"You know as well as I do that only Batman can do this."

"I'm not so sure. I'm not the one she called for as she was taken." Bruce crossed his hands across his desk. "Perhaps it's time for Nightwing to return to duty."

* * *

**2016 August 14, 00:10 EDT**

Layla sat in a hard wooden chair, tied and gagged as Joker gleefully chatted away and told her jokes for seemingly an eternity. She stopped struggling a while ago since it appeared that Joker wasn't going to harm her as long as she didn't fight back. "Oh, but where are my manners?" Joker mused. "It's not polite to talk about oneself so much." He added as if speaking to someone other than Layla. He reached down and pulled the gag out of her mouth before pulling another wooden chair and sitting in it backwards. "We have some time to kill and I want to learn more about you."

Layla furrowed her brow in confusion. What did the Joker want with her? Surely, he didn't kidnap her just to tell her jokes and chat like friends. "What do you want?" She asked. Her throat felt a little dry, making her wish she had more to drink at the party.

Joker beamed, as if he had been wanting her to ask that. "Well, I suppose we could talk about that…" He said in a raspy tone, a sinister grin on his face. Quickly, he switched back to his "happy voice" and said, "I would much rather talk about how much you've grown! I remember when you first came to Gotham as a small child. There was always this… spark about you, and I never got the chance to figure it out. But now, I know what it was." Layla stared at him silently, not sure if she should be afraid or not.

Joker snapped upright out of his chair and danced around her on his toes, laughing as if he knew a dark secret. He stopped after a couple of laps and bent down so they were almost touching noses. He stared deeply into her eyes, she could see his soften as he did. Her heart was pounding, not knowing what to expect. Her hands were still tied, so she couldn't do much to fight back should he attack. As she planned her next move, he whispered slowly, "Can you keep a secret?"


	4. Questions

**Chapter Four: Questions**

**2016 August 14, 01:23 EDT**

Robin jumped from rooftop to rooftop throughout the city in search of Joker's helicopter. He and Batgirl immediately went to Ace Chemical Plant, the clown's usual hideout, but the base seemed deserted. They parted ways in order to cover more ground. He stooped in one of the archways of the bell tower and surveyed the area around the chapel, that's where he saw the mysterious purple van parked in the abandoned parking lot. Robin took out his grappling hook and swung over to the window sill of a large stained glass window.

"Batgirl, do you read me? I have a visual on Joker. Sending you my coordinates now." Robin said as he crouched in the corner of the window. Peeking back through the window, he could make out the Joker standing over his hostage. _"He is awfully close to her,"_ he thought as he took out his binoculars. He had just focused on the purple clad clown when his partner landed on the sill next to him. "What took you so long?"

"Uh, I was on the other side of town?" Batgirl snapped at him. "You could have just said that you were at the church, by the way." Robin rolled his eyes and continued looking through the window. "What's he doing?"

"I'm not sure." He handed the binoculars over to her. "What's our plan?"

"As long as it doesn't involve you two having all the fun without me, then I'm all for it," a voice called smugly from the roof. They looked up and saw Nightwing, smirking down at them.

**Meanwhile…**

The Joker had been standing still for quite some time, silently staring into her eyes. Layla wasn't sure of what to say. What kind of secret would he want to tell her? The whole thing was creeping her out. _"Where's Batman when you need him?"_ She thought bitterly as she nodded at the clown.

"I knew I could trust you." Joker looked like the cat that ate the canary. He brought a hand up to her chin and tilted her head up towards him ever so slightly.

"That's enough, Joker." A voice boomed from the other end of the sanctuary. The speaker stepped out of the shadows. "Untie her." Joker quickly obeyed as the man walked forward. He helped her out of her chair and placed a hand on her cheek. "Layla Baz… it certainly has been a while. You have grown up so much. I wonder… do you know me, child?"

Layla snapped her head out of his hands. _"What the hell is this? Touch Layla day?" _she thought before replying, "Ra's al Ghul."

Ra's al Ghul gave a small, proud smile at her reply. "Good. Now, do you know who you are?" Layla gazed into his emerald colored eyes; for some strange reason, a small piece of her felt safe with him. Her attention darted from him, however, as one of the many stained glass windows shattered and three bodies fell to the floor. As they stood, they revealed themselves as Robin, Batgirl and Nightwing. Immediately, Joker's goons started to attack; it seemed as though they had planned for the rescue, as Joker had brought enough lackeys to keep the whole of the Justice League distracted. "Well, my dear, I'm afraid our conversation must be put on hold. For now." Ra's al Ghul slowly turned and walked away. Joker gazed back at Layla for a moment with a strange sadness in his eyes, before following the Great One into the night.

The three heroes were left standing in confused fighting stances as their foes fled abruptly. Layla ran as fast as she could across the room and jumped into Nightwing's arms, hugging him tightly. "I hoped you would save me."

Nightwing couldn't help but embrace her as well. "Of course I did. Are you alright? Did he hurt you?" He placed her on the ground and held her shoulders; Layla shook her head. "What did he want?"

Layla looked puzzled as she stepped away from her conquering hero. She didn't know where to begin, the creepy vibes from Joker or the welcoming sensation she felt around Ra's. "He wanted to tell me a secret." She thought it best to keep Ra's involvement in her kidnapping quiet until she could speak to Bruce. Nightwing hugged her once more before muttering something about going home to get some rest.

* * *

**2016 August 14  
Wayne Manor**

After sleeping for a few hours, Layla woke up to the smell of waffles. Once again, Alfred was making one of her favorite foods. "Oh, Alfred, you spoil me." She muttered as she climbed out of her bed. She stretched and opened the suitcase that lay at the foot of her bed before heading to her personal bathroom to take a shower. She turned the water on to warm up as she walked back to her suitcase to pick out her clothes for the day. She walked past her window; the sun felt warm peeking through her thick curtains. She was mid-step when she got the sudden sensation of falling and let out a small shriek.

Her feet never met a floor, yet she stood in a room. As she looked around, she realized it was her room, but something seemed different. The water was still running, everything was just as it was seconds ago; she still couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. "Layla?" Bruce's voice echoed as if he were at the other end of a long tunnel. He knocked on her door, only entering when she didn't reply. "Layla, I heard you scream. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Uncle Bruce." She said in response. He looked as though he didn't see her, even walking right past her as he continued to call for her. "Uncle Bruce, I'm right here!" She tried again; nothing. "What is going on?" She took another look at her surroundings again, this time finally noting the difference; everything seemed to be slightly grayed out, like a faded picture. She also noticed that she couldn't feel the heat of the sun. "What the… I must be in a different dimension of some sort. Now how do I get out of here?"

Her question was answered as Bruce stepped in front of the sunlight coming through her window. He jumped slightly as she appeared in front of him. "Uh, Uncle Bruce… any explanations as to why I just fell through your shadow?"


	5. Answers

**Chapter Five: Answers**

**2016 August 14  
Wayne Manor**

Bruce led Layla down to the Batcave in complete silence. Although she had no clue as to why the answers to her questions were hidden in Bruce's secret lair, she followed him. As the elevator doors slid open, Bruce strode over to his super computer and took a seat. "I knew these questions about your past would come up eventually," he began, clicking and typing away at some heavily encrypted files, "However, I was hoping that you would never develop the same powers as he had…"

"Wait, what? Powers?" Layla asked, standing behind him as he searched his database. Soon, documents and old photographs flooded onto the many screens of the computer, all of it having to do with her family. "Bruce… what's going on? What is all this?" she asked as she gazed at a family photo from when she was a baby. She had never seen some of the photos that appeared before her.

"I suppose it's best to start at the beginning…" An image popped up on top of all the other files; in it, her parents stood in the center of a large group, all wearing the same black uniform, although some had masks and other headgear. As Layla studied the picture, Bruce continued, "This is from when your parents first met. Before they were married, they were part of the League of Shadows, assassins for Ra's al Ghul. At one time, early in their career, your father was al Ghul's top assassin. He was so pleased with your father's work, that he bestowed a gift unto him. He gave him the ability to disappear into the night, to become virtually invisible."

"Disappear into the night?" Layla pondered. "I guess that sort of explains why your shadow brought me back…"

"Yes, it would seem so." Bruce turned to her. "Although, I believe Ra's had a hidden agenda. You see, when you were born, your father lost his abilities."

"You mean to say that I stole his powers? Is that even possible?"

"Not through normal heredity and genetics, no. I've had my top scientist look into that possibility." Bruce replied. "I believe the source of this power is actually a bit of Ra's al Ghul's soul. I've told you how years ago, he wanted me to marry his daughter and produce an heir for his legacy? Since I declined, Talia al Ghul has been seeing an employee of Ra's that he believes is beneath her. Perhaps he thought that this was the only way he could produce a proper heir."

Layla sunk into the chair closest to her as Bruce spoke. "So, what? He tried to kidnap me so I could replace his daughter as his protégé?"

Bruce appeared to be puzzled. "You mean, Joker wasn't the mastermind behind the kidnapping?" Layla shook her head in response. "I'm going to inform the League. Stay here, I'll send someone to watch over the house in case Ra's tries to take you again."

"Uh, I don't think so. Ra's wants to make me become his slave, he's gonna have to beat me first."

"No, it's too dangerous."

"First off, you know that's not true! You taught me and Dick how to protect ourselves when we were kids." Layla protested, but to no avail as her father moved to push her into the elevator. "Bruce, let me use the powers he gave my family against him! Let me join Young Justice and fight him!"

Bruce's expression softened before he embraced her tightly. "I can't risk you getting hurt… or worse." He then shut the elevator door between them.

As soon as the elevator doors opened, Layla dashed to her room and threw her last unpacked suitcase onto her unkempt bed. Clothes were flung about the room as she rummaged for something to wear; finally, she settled on a dark grey skirt and a large grey hoodie that concealed her face. "Sorry, pops." She muttered as she climbed over her balcony and into the night.

Although it had been nearly a decade since she was last in the city, Layla navigated easily through the streets of Gotham, making her way to a small clearing she and Dick used to play in as children just behind the zoo. She ducked behind a tree as she pulled a brick-like device out of her bag and grinned; Bruce hadn't even noticed her stealing the teleportation device from the Batcave. The button clicked and soon she was greeted by the familiar "Recognized, Batman guest," as she appeared in the Watchtower. Instead of the expected Captain Atom or Black Canary, Layla was welcomed by a group of teenaged sidekicks dressed similarly to their hero counterparts. "Uh, hi."

Blue Beetle stopped tracking what appeared to be nothing and stared at the newcomer, slightly slackjawed. In his momentary distraction, his weapon fired without aiming, tripping Kid Flash as he made another lap around the Beetle and taunted him with junk food. Behind them, a green chimpanzee stopped laughing at the previous shenanigans between the two boys and transformed back into his natural, Beast Boy state. Wonder Girl and Batgirl glanced over at Layla for a brief moment before Batgirl rolled her eyes and continued their conversation. Lastly, familiar faces Aqualad and Nightwing entered the room, the former welcoming the latter back to the team officially; the two were caught off guard by the slightly weirder behavior of the team before realizing they had a visitor.

"Uh, hey," Nightwing said, his expression was similar to one Bruce used to wear when he was upset with her. "What brings you here? Does Batman know you're here?"

Layla glanced at her watch before replying, "Well, seeing as how I used his old teleporter, he'll know shortly." She placed her bag on the floor and stood as tall as she could. "I'm here to join the Team."

* * *

**2016 August 14  
Watchtower**

"_Batman is actually quite intimidating, when you're on the receiving end of it all…"_ Layla thought as her godfather stood in front of her, arms crossed and an icy glare that would scare Mr. Fries. He marched into the main hall of the Watchtower seconds after her arrival, furious that she deliberately disobeyed him, and had moved her forcibly into one of the attached rooms and shut the door. Her only comfort now was a silent Nightwing standing behind Batman, although the look on his face didn't seem too pleased with her either.

"I remember telling you to stay home." Batman said sternly. "I don't want you getting mixed up in all of this."

"It's a little too late for that, don't you think?" Layla replied, anger bubbling up inside her. "Plus, it's about time you stop treating me like a child!"

"Maybe you should stop behaving like a child." Batman's eyes narrowed slightly.

"You let Dick fight crime when he was nine! I know just as much as he does, why am I any different?" Layla demanded. Batman said nothing. Layla dropped back into her chair and sighed. "You've known all along that I'm playing horcrux with a piece of Ra's al Ghul's soul. You're afraid that I'll turn into a villain."

Finally, Batman's arms fell to his side. "Yes, I was afraid." He sat down next to her and hugged her. "I was afraid of losing you."

Layla pulled free of his grasp after a moment and met his gaze. "Don't worry, dad." She placed a hand on his, "Nothing will happen, I promise. Will you let me join the Team?" After a moment of consideration, Batman finally agreed. Layla grinned and happily skipped out of the room to meet the rest of the team. Batman made to follow, Nightwing held his arm out to stop him.

"Can we chat, Bats?" he asked as he shut the doors once again. "You never told me any of this. Is that why you sent her away to school?"

"Of course it is." Batman replied. "I thought that maybe if Layla was out of the city then Ra's al Ghul couldn't corrupt her."

"You really need to learn how to trust people, Batman." Nightwing shook his head as he joined the rest of his team.


	6. Confessions

**A/N: Whooohoo! A new chapter right after a rewrite! I feel productive.  
Enjoy this distraction from the main plot! (I own nothing.)  
**

* * *

**Chapter**** Six: Confessions**

**2016 August 28  
Watchtower**

Batgirl watched quietly from the doorway of the fitness center while Nightwing finished his workout; he had been back on the team for w couple of weeks, but conflicting missions have kept her from talking to him. He was hardly startled as he had heard the faintest sound of footsteps approach minutes earlier. After placing the barbell back onto the bench, he grabbed a towel and his water and faced her. "What's up, Babs?" He asked as he rustled his hair with the towel.

Batgirl was silent a moment longer, gazing at his bare chest glistening slightly in the light. "Oh, you know…. It's just been a while since we've talked. I was hoping we could catch up, maybe grab a bite to eat?" Nightwing said nothing, just sipped his water. Batgirl could feel her face start to flush and rushed the rest of her thought, "You know, since you're coming back from your leave and all, I just thought-"

Nightwing burst into a fit of laughter, "Calm down, Babs. I'm joking with you. Let's go get some dinner." He drove to a fancy Tuscan grill and valeted the car. Holding the door open for her, he quickly scanned the area; Barbara wasn't sure if he was expecting company or trouble. A middle aged blonde waiter showed them to a table towards the back of the dining room.

"_Good, some privacy,"_ she thought as Dick pulled her chair out for her. She smiled at him as he took the seat across from her; he was ruggedly handsome in a dark blue v-neck and black slacks, despite the restaurant's suit and tie dress code. He ordered their drinks before he turned to her and asked, "What did you want to talk about?"

"Anything, really," Barbara answered, placing her napkin in her lap before grabbing a fresh breadstick from the basket just set in front of them. "What have you been up to?"

Dick grinned smugly as she rested her elbows on the table, an obvious move to expose her cleavage slightly. The spring green dress she was wearing hugged her curves tastefully, the soft light of the restaurant made her lily pad eyes sparkle. He briefly thought back to their school days, thinking, _"Barbara really has become quite the woman."_ He leaned back in his chair as their drinks arrived. "I haven't really been doing much. I thought maybe I would go back to school."

"Oh? For what?"

"Law, actually," They enjoyed their entrees as they talked about the last few months. Finally, Barbara was able to ask what she really wanted. "Layla? She's just a childhood friend. She got sent to boarding school before the Team was formed, but she sometimes used to hang out with me and the guys while the League was out on business."

Barbara ate her shrimp and chicken fettuccini while he spoke. "Seems to me that there's… more between you?" She suggested.

Dick paused in the middle of cutting his steak, not sure how to respond. "Well, I mean, we were never an official couple… but yeah, I guess there was something there." He chuckled nervously. "Like I said earlier, she got sent to boarding school so…"

"…so she's the one that got away?" Barbara rested her chin in her hand, an impish grin on her face.

Again, Dick leaned back, setting his silverware on his plate. He thought back to his time with Layla; he had told M'gann that she was his first love, but they were only kids. "I honestly don't know what it is between us." He replied after much consideration.

"Sure could have fooled me," she scoffed.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

The redhead leaned into her chair and crossed her arms. "She's barely been on the team for a week and you guys are already being voted for 'Most Dynamic Duo.'" She said with air quotes and a huff in her tone.

"I don't think that's a real award," Dick retorted, then added hopefully, "Is it?" He had such longing in his face that Barbara had no choice but to smile. Secretly, she hoped that this was a side of Dick that only she would ever see.

* * *

**2016 August 28**

Blue Beetle sat in the port window the bio-ship on a mission with Miss Martian, Kid Flash and their newest member Shadow. Their objective was to pose as a gang of Joker's henchmen and complete a drug transaction with mobster Babyface. Shadow sat at the computer at the hull of the ship, studying the blueprints of the building the meet was taking place and memorizing the intel given to them by Black Canary. He admired her dedication to a simple operation such as this. _"Don't get distracted by the girl, Jaime,"_ His scarab said, _"There's something I don't like about her…"_

"You don't like anybody," Blue muttered as he felt a gush of wind to his right. Kid Flash raced from his seat and sat next to him. "What do you want?"

"Just wanted to pick your brain, buddy." KF said, following his gaze. "Staring at the newbie? You like her?" He lowered his voice.

"I just don't know if we can fully trust her." Blue replied, a coy attempt at settling the scarab's doubts.

"What? Seriously? She's Batman's niece and has known Nightwing for, like, ever! Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

_"No."_ the scarab said bitterly. Jaime nodded and ignored him.

"Just one question," Kid got up from his chair and stretched as he made his way to the center of the ship. "How are we all going to pass as Joker's henchmen? Obviously, Miss M here has her totally crash shape shifting, but I'm kinda drawing the short end of the stick here, if you catch my drift." He joked about his height.

"Not to worry, if there's anything I know about Babyface, it's that his goons are incredibly stupid." Shadow replied, turning from the screens. "Miss Martian will easily be able to warp reality, make them see what we want them to see."

The ship hovered above the docks as the Team geared up; Miss Martian shifted into the form of Harley Quinn and the others donned clown masks and mime outfits. They silently dropped from the ship and made their way to the warehouses off the shore. **_"Warehouse 13. This is it."_** Miss Martian said telepathically. She pushed the doors open and cart-wheeled to the center of the warehouse. Babyface was already waiting with his gang, a rather large black man holding the black duffle bags containing the drugs. Miss Martian laughed as the rest of the squad caught up to her. "Ready to finish the deal?" she asked in Harley's New York accent. "Mr. J is anxious and I hate to make him wait."

Babyface rubbed his thumb against his index and middle fingers. "We gotta have the money before ya get the goods, see." He said, the man holding the bag broadened his shoulders.

"When Mr. J says he'll do something, he does it." Miss Martian said as she motioned for Blue Beetle to step forward with the suitcase full of fake money. He and the other man met in the middle where they both dropped their bags. Watching the large man carefully, Blue picked up the drug bag and backed away as he grabbed the silver case.

"Well, Harley tell your boss it was pleasure doing business with him," Babyface said as he readied to leave. He was about to open the money case when laughter surrounded them. Looking up, they saw Joker descending through a hole in the roof on a rope ladder from his helicopter. "Joker, I didn't expect you to show up."

"I would never miss a party," the Joker replied. He stood behind Miss Martian and hung his arm around her shoulders. "Especially when my gal's the hostess." He pointed upwards, where the real Harley Quinn slid down the ladder as well.

"I've been tricked!" Babyface shouted, throwing the suitcase to the floor without looking at the contents. "Get 'em, boys! I don't care who they are, just get 'em!"

"Not so fast!" Joker held his arms out as a barricade to the massive mobsters. "Let's unmask our pretenders first."

**"_Guys, just do as he says,"_ **Shadow told the squad telepathically. They began to argue, but she insisted, **_"Trust me, Joker won't do any harm to us as long as we do what he says. Those are the rules to his game."_** Reluctantly, Miss Marian made all their disguises disappear with a single thought.

"My, my, my, this is quite the twist," Joker said, laughing with maniacal glee. "The Junior League dealing drugs. Whatever will the big guys think?" Shadow could see Blue Beetle and Miss M steady themselves for a fight as Kid Flash's eyes dashed to all the exits. "Oh, I'm not going to hurt you, not as long as you prove that we can all play nicely." His eyes met with Shadow's masked ones and paused for a moment. "Now this is interesting… playing dress up now, are we dear?"

Harley whined and draped herself over him as he stared. "Mr. J, when is play time over? I want to get to the real fun." She grinned as she punched at the air. Joker looked down at his companion, the wide smile faded from his face. "What's the matter, Mr. J?"

"The matter is the Clown Prince of Crime has grown weary of this song and dance we've been playing," He grabbed Harley's hands and began to waltz with her as he spoke to her. Her smile faded as well and was replaced with a look of concern. He spun her close to his chest and stood still. "I long for a new dance partner." He said, spinning her away from him, causing her to fall into a pile of cardboard boxes along the warehouse wall. He turned back to Shadow.

She couldn't move from her spot as he made his way to her. He bowed low in front of her and held out his hand. She stared at him for a moment; her eyes darted to Harley, then her teammates. M'gann's eyes widened as Shadow bit the bullet for her team and took Joker's hand. "What do you want?" She asked as the clown stood upright.

"Like I said, a new dance partner." He danced with her past one of his actual goons and ordered, "Get rid of them." He stopped the dance underneath the rope ladder and held Shadow's hands in his. "Think of all the fun you and I could have together." He kissed her hands, then her left cheek. "Just think about it. That's all I ask." He tugged on the ladder and flew back up through the hole in the roof.

The Team stood in the now empty warehouse after Joker's men discarded of Babyface's gang and Harley running off to who knows where. Shadow remained frozen in the spot where she stood with Joker, but turned back to her team to ask, "What the fuck just happened?"

"I think Joker's in love with you, chica." Blue Beetle replied.


End file.
